The Beginnings of HBCF

Highlights from the Article posted below:

Although Association support of local charitable endeavors was being provided - for example, the annual Thanksgiving Food Drive, and the "Toys for Tots" Christmas Drive - there was no formal policy of com­munity outreach. The first step towards a for­mal plan came in 1980 with creation of a Public Relations Committee by newly installed President Bob Mitchell -   
"I wanted to see the building industry making tangible contributions into the communities we helped to build in the first place. The Association's slogan was 'Home Builders Build Neighborhoods,' and it was important that the industry continue to be a part of the neighborhood contributing not just money, but also our time, our knowledge and our expertise." 

(In 1984) It was the decision of the SMBIA Board of Directors that a separate corporation - a 501c3 charitable foundation - should be formed to provide the vehicle for an ongoing community outreach. 

Thus, the creation of The Operation Tom Sawyer Foundation Inc., with a Board of Directors headed by Neil Moreland and including Joel Brodsky, John Pettit, Roy Mur­phy, Larry Hogan Jr., Ray La Placa and Bruce Winston.